Luke Fickell may fill in for Jim Tressel

Posted on: March 11, 2011 12:24 pm

Edited on: March 11, 2011 1:05 pm

Posted by Tom Fornelli

While we don't know what the NCAA and the Big Ten are going to do with Ohio State and Jim Tressel, we do know that the school itself has suspended Tressel for the first two games of the 2011 season against Akron and Toledo. Which means that Ohio State needs to figure out who will take over the role of head coach during those two games.

While there isn't exactly a rush to make a decision, and there's some uncertainty as to who would make the decision, the consensus in Columbus is that it will likely be co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell.

With Tressel suspended for a major violation of NCAA rules, the Buckeyes will need to designate an acting coach for games in September against Akron and Toledo. The buzz has been building that the nod will go to co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell.

Tressel used to have an assistant head coach, but that person, Darrell Hazell, left in December to become head coach at Kent State. Since then, speculation has been that Tressel would recommend Fickell for the position this spring. Fickell coaches linebackers and works with fellow coordinator Jim Heacock on the defensive game plan.

As is only natural at this point, the Columbus Dispatch also did a quick background check on Fickell and found that he's had only four minor rules violations in 10 years at Ohio State, and none since 2005. Which, in case you aren't completely aware of how many violations actually occur, is pretty good. Minor violations happen all the time as the NCAA has a whole lot of rules. Some make sense, and some are ridiculous, and plenty of coaches violate the rules without realizing it at the time.

What Fickell really has going for him, though, is that of the four minor rules violations he committed, he didn't wait eight months to report them.